Costa Rica - Rainforest Adventure

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Day 1: Arrive in San José

You will be met on your arrival at San José Airport and transferred to our hotel. Later in the evening, we meet our guide for dinner to discuss our upcoming adventure. Overnight in San José.

Day 2: To Caño Blanco via Braulio Carrillo National Park, boat ride to Tortuguero National Park

Early morning, depart San José for the Caribbean coast. Enroute, we drive through Braulio Carrillo National Park, enjoying wonderful views of the rainforest. We will make a stop at a banana plantation before arriving in Caño Blanco, where we transfer to our open roof boat for a 1 1/2 hour boat journey through the beautiful canals to get to Tortuguero, always keeping an eye out for wildlife. Upon arrival in Tortuguero, we have lunch and a welcome orientation session. Visit the Atlantic Green Sea Turtle Museum founded by the Caribbean Conservation Corporation.

The late Dr. Archie Carr began to study and tag the thousands of Atlantic green sea turtles that every year from June through October come to Tortuguero Beach to lay their eggs. Originally intended to protect a major nesting beach of the Atlantic green sea turtle, Tortuguero National Park now protects 51,870 acres, one of the last large areas of tropical rainforest in Central America. Eleven habitats are found in the park. Three species of monkeys (spider, howler, and white-faced), three-toed sloths, and river otters are frequently seen along the natural inland waterways and canals. Caiman, iguanas, river turtles, basilisk lizards, and poison dart Dendrobates frogs inhabit the area. 320 species of birds including all 6 species of king fishers, 3 species of toucans, 8 species of parrots, and other neotropical species such as the slaty-tailed trogon, white-collared manakin, purple-throated ruitcrow, and white-fronted nunbird all inhabit the area. We will have the opportunity to observe them during this ride through the creeks of Tortuguero National Park. Afternoon optional garden walk with your Guide. Overnight in Tortuguero.

Day 3: Tortuguero National Park

After breakfast, your guide will take you to the village of Tortuguero. Learn about the history of Tortuguero village, visit the park headquarters, and walk past colorful Afro-Caribbean homes.

In the afternoon, you depart by boat to continue your exploration of the canals of Tortuguero National Park. This time you will visit Caño Harold (Harold’s Canal), where bare-throated tiger herons, snowy egrets, boat billed herons and other species are known to nest. We return to the lodge late afternoon to relax before dinner. Overnight in Tortuguero.

Day 4: Fly to San José, Poas Volcano, Arenal

After an early departure, we transfer to the airport at Tortuguero for our flight back to San José. We depart for Arenal today but along the way, we stop at Poas Volcano with its crater lake. Our drive today will take you through many coffee plantations. Until the 19th century, Costa Rica was very poor with an economy based on subsistence agriculture. Then the introduction of coffee provided a product suitable for export. Bananas followed coffee; both remain two of the most important crops in Costa Rica today. Stop on route for lunch. Arrive at your hotel in time for an afternoon rest. In the evening, weather permitting, view the volcanic activity, which may include explosions and lava flows. Overnight in Arenal.

Day 5: Arenal

After breakfast, depart with your guide for a morning hike in the Arenal Hanging Bridges. This project sits within a 250-hectare (618 acre) reserve of fully recovered secondary rain forest. A visit to Arenal Hanging Bridges consists of traversing 15 bridges from 5 to 100 meters long that cross the rain forest and a 3 km circuit of interpretive trails built with paving blocks to prevent slipping. The bridges are made of aluminum, galvanized steel and concrete, and ensure maximum security for visitors. In the afternoon, visit the Eco-Termales Hot Springs. Doña Mireya, your host, will prepare a typical Costa Rican dinner for you, in the tradition of local hospitality. Overnight in Arenal.

Day 6: To Monteverde

After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Monteverde. enroute, we take a 2-hour boat journey across Lake Arenal to Rio Chiquito, to meet the locals and learn about their village life. We meet up again with our bus to continue our journey to Monteverde, where we will have lunch. Monteverde is a peaceful community made up of dairy farmers, naturalists and tourism service providers who have joined together to create a model for sustainable development and protection of the environment that is well known throughout the world.

Founded in 1954 by a group of Quakers searching for a peaceful place to live, it is the home of Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, the Children’s Eternal Rain Forest, and the Santa Elena Reserve. Overnight in Monteverde.

Day 7: Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

After breakfast, guided excursion in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Founded in 1972, the Reserve extends down both slopes of the Tilarán Mountains (elevation 2,300 to 5,600 ft.), encompassing six different ecological life zones and protecting more than 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds and 1,500 species of plants. From January to July, depending upon your luck and patience, you may observe the resplendent quetzal in its natural habitat. Other species include the three-wattled bellbird, the emerald toucanet, and white-faced and howler monkeys. Return to the hotel midday for lunch. Afternoon visit to the Butterfly Garden where butterflies and other insects are raised and displayed in shade cloth enclosures with tropical gardens. Overnight in Monteverde.

Day 8: Guachipelin - Cattle Ranch Stay

Early morning breakfast at the hotel before our scenic 3 hour drive to Guanacaste province. Check in at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin, a working Cattle Ranch. There is an interesting Ecotourism Center located close to the active Rincon de la Vieja Volcano which we will have time to visit.

In the afternoon we will have a chance to explore the cattle ranch as a local herdsman explains the workings of a Costa Rican ranch. Journey from the stables of the hacienda to the pastures where you can experience working in a corral, milking cows, rounding up cattle, and harnessing horses, while accompanied by authentic “sabaneros guanacastecos”. (Sabaneros cowboys, Guanacastecos = From the Guanacaste province). Overnight in Guachipelin.

Day 9: Horseback excursion to Hot Springs, Oropendola waterfalls

Depart on horse from the hacienda stables on a trail through tropical dry woods and experience a part of Costa Rica that most don’t get to see. The grounds have about 1.25 square miles allocated as a reforestation area, where species threatened by extinction are protected. In these surroundings you can see a great variety of birds, mammals, reptiles etc. At the property of the hacienda we seek trails of interest for flora and fauna and sight seeing spots instead of paved roads. On our calm and friendly horses we take you on a 45 minute trip to the National Park main gate, where we leave our horses, and enter the park on foot.

Here we take the track to the sulphur hot springs and Oropendola waterfall. At the end of the trip, the horses will take you back to the Hacienda along scenic trails. Overnight in Guachipelin.

Day 10: Playa Panama

Today we take a short drive to Playa Panama, one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica and where we will enjoy a nature walk and guided exploration of the beach area. Afterwards free time to relax or explore further. Overnight in Playa Panama.

Day 11: Corobici River floating tour

This classic float trip is a delightful highlight, especially for birdwatchers and nature lovers. The scenery and wildlife along the Corobici are legendary. As you leisurely raft along this tranquil river, you might spot one of the more than 300 species of birds from the nearby Palo Verde National Park. Among the more commonly seen birds are ospreys, kingfishers, cormo- rants, and blue, tiger and boat-billed herons. Other wildlife in the area includes otters, howler monkeys, white-faced monkeys, iguanas and many other types of lizards. A delicious local lunch will be served at Rincon Corobici restaurant after you finish rafting. Later we will drive back to our hotel via Liberia City, stopping for a short city tour.
Overnight in Playa Panama

Day 12: Return to San Jose

Early morning breakfast before our 4 1/2 hour journey to San José, with a stop en route for lunch. This afternoon we enjoy a coffee tour where we learn about the vital role coffee has played in forging democracy in Costa Rica as well as cultivating a national identity. The coffee tour is packed with tips and tricks that will help make your next cup of coffee your best. Learn how to properly store coffee and brew a perfect cappuccino. Observe how experts distinguish good coffees from great ones — and why they ignore their mothers’ warnings about slurping. Overnight in San José.